배경과 실천에 기초한 ‘문화예술교육’의 의미와 정체성

Insight on the Meaning and Identity of Korea’s “Culture & Arts Education” Policy in Korea: Based on Background and Practice of the Policy

한 나라의 정책은 국민의 공적 이익을 위한 계획이다. 2000년부터 추진된 ‘문화예술교육’은 문광부의 문화정책이다. 정책추진 후 10년이 지난 현재, 아직도 문화예술교육에 대한 개념은 불투명하다. 이 연구에서는 정책의 추진배경과 실적을 기반으로 문화예술교육의 특성을 파악하고자 하였다. 문화예술교육은 문화의 세기를 맞아 예술교육의 중요성을 인지하고 국민 모두의 예술적 문화적 능력을 배양하기 위하여 선 실천 후 개념정의를 표방한 문광부의 예술교육정책으로 개념 정리하였다.

“Culture and Arts Education” is a political phrase launched by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Korea (hereinafter, the Ministry of Culture”). Under the penumbra of “Culture and Arts Education”, numerous programs have been executed through the years in places such as, schools, cultural centers, orphanages, child care centers, military camps, and even in prisons throughout the country. Despite the fact that various programs have been executed with a tremendous amount of endeavor to advertise the “Culture and Arts Education Program” of the Ministry of Culture, most Koreans do not know the definition nor the identity of “Culture and Arts Education”. The Ministry of Culture hosted “2nd World Conference on Arts Education” with UNESCO in Seoul, Korea on May 24-27, 2010. The title of this conference was translated in Korean as ‘Culture and Arts Education’. The word ‘Culture’ was added intentionally. Most Koreans have an agreed understanding or sense of the meaning of Arts education and that of Culture education; however, they do not understand the intension or reasoning behind the Ministry of Culture’s intentional translation of ‘Arts education’ as ‘Culture and Arts education’. Through this paper, the researcher has tried to grasp the characteristics of Korea’s ‘Culture and Arts education’ by 1) reviewing the background of how the phrase “Culture and Arts Education” was formed, and 2) examining the “Culture and Arts Education” programs that have been conducted from 2000 to date. The conclusions drawn by the researcher as the following: 1) the term “Culture and Arts Education” was adapted by the Ministry of Culture without any in-depth philosophical or social consideration; 2) the definition of “Culture and Arts Education” outlined in the’ Culture and Arts Education Supporting Act’ may ensure legal use of the term, but it still does not form nation-wide understanding of the term. Moreover, the definition is not comprehensive enough to encompass on-going “Culture and Arts Education” programs in general; 3) there have been numerous programs assumed under the title of “Culture and Arts Education”; however, the goals and objectives of such programs are not consistent with one another, making it difficult to grasp the characteristics of ‘Culture and Arts Education’ by examining these programs; 4) the Ministry of Culture’s approach of defining the meaning of ‘Culture & Arts Education’ by adding various connotation on a piecemeal basis must change. In order to secure the goal of its policy, a more focused and comprehensive definition of “Culture & Arts Education” must be secured first; and 5) thus, it is strongly recommended that the Ministry of Culture lead comprehensive and on-going efforts to secure the definition of “Culture and Arts Education” to enable a better understanding of its policy for Culture and Arts and broader dissemination of the same.